| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It seems like it would be really useful for caster NPCs especially, as most DMs probably haven't memorized what all the spells do.
I think some do? But not all of them. Probably less than they did in PF1.
Creative Director
|
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
When appropriate, they're included in the body text of an encounter so we can minimize the impact on the stat block itself. Larger stat blocks make it harder for us to lay out the text, and for less complicated monsters the tactics are self-evident and including them in the stats was clutter and wasted space, so it's primarily one (of several) time-saving techniques we've adopted for 2nd edition adventures.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Let me take this opportunity to praise PF2 creature descriptions and their clarity.
I haven't played a PF2 Adventure Path yet, but I purchased the Extinction Curse AP. On page 44 of The Show Must Go On we have the Smoldering Leopard, creature 3. It has:
Aura of Smoke ...
Melee [one-action] jaws +12 (finesse) ...
Melee [one-action] claw +12 (agile, finesse) ...
Pounce [one-action] ...
Scorching Maul [one-action] ...
Sneak Attack (precision) ...
I left out spoilery details, but you can see the essence. I would read these six combat abilities and the smoldering leopard's combat tactics are clear. Okay, the aura of smoke makes it concealed, and the GM might not realize that it can hide in its own smoke for a sneak attack, but otherwise, its tactics are obvious and it has no Combat Tactics description. Instead, the leopards' intent is mentioned in the "Creatures" section of the room description: "The corrupted hermits don’t yet control these animals; if the door is opened, they rush out and attack any creatures they see, even hermits or other animals."
In contrast, the last adventure path I played under PF1 rules was Iron Gods. On page 10 of Lords of Rust we have Ewhar "Hatchet-Hand" Vress, CR 3:
Melee Melee mwk handaxe +6 (1d6+4/×3), mwk handaxe +6 (1d6+3/×3)
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Toughness, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (handaxe), Weapon Specialization (handaxe)
Combat Gear gas grenades (2, see page 62), soothe (2 doses, see page 63); Other Gear mwk hide armor, mwk handaxes (2)
Abilities like Weapon Focus (handaxe) and Weapon Specialization (handaxe) merely explain the bonuses on his handaxe attacks, so mentioning them is useful only if I wanted to modify Vress (I frequently upgraded opponents due to an oversize party, but for this battle, I instead added more Smiler henchmen). Two-Weapon Fighting, in contrast, opens up a new attack style, so the GM could use some explanation. His combat tactics are:
During Combat Hatchet-Hand lacks any ranged capabilities save for his gas grenades. He uses them against foes as needed, not caring much if he catches one or two Smilers in the area of effect of the toxic cloud. He prefers to fight in melee, especially if he can make a full attack with both axes.
Morale Hatchet-Hand fights to the death.
The main use for the combat tactics is clarifying which parts of the overly-detailed stat block matter for combat tactics: Two-Weapon Fighting, the two handaxes, and the two gas grenades.
Sometimes the PF1 opponents are simpler. On page 49 of Fires of Creation we have the Gearsman, CR 4. It has:
Defensive Abilities hardness 10; Immune construct traits
Melee timeworn neural inhibitor +9 (8 charges listed under gear rather than under the melee)
Melee slam +4 ...
Adaptive Learning (Ex) ...
Charge Weapon (Ex) ...
Self-Repair (Ex) ...
I would read these six combat abilities and the Gearman's combat tactics are clear. Nevertheless the stat block has combat tactics:
During Combat Upon noticing intruders, the gearsman lurches to life, confronting them with its shrill metallic voice in Androffan: “Intrusion detected. Initiating purge protocol 11-321. Please stand down and submit, intruders. Purge protocol 11-321 demands compliance per core Divinity Directive.” The gearsman attacks at once, focusing its attacks on the closest character and continuing to attack that target until it falls, at which point it switches to the next closest target, repeats its lines, and continues the attack.
The tactics portion is obvious; however, most of the description is taken up by its roleplaying lines. Those lines would be better placed in the "Creatures" section of the room description.
It seems like it would be really useful for caster NPCs especially, as most DMs probably haven't memorized what all the spells do.
PF2 has not succeeded at simplifying spellcaster opponents. For example, Ruanna Nyamma creature 4, on page 17 of Legacy of the Lost God in the Extinction Curse AP under Occult Spontaneous Spells lists three 2nd-level spells, three 1st-level spells, and five cantrips and under Bard Composition Spells lists two focus spells and two cantrips.
In the long run, we probably need something like the spell amps of the Psychic class or the alternative spell effects of the Spell Trickster archetype in order to make simpler spellcasting opponents of all spellcasting classes. Or maybe reduce their number of low-level spells and give them versatile cantrips instead. We do not need a Pathfinder 2.5 Edition for this, because re-designing opponents would require simply adding new creature construction techniques in a Gamemastery Guide Two.
|
I also just realized how much smaller and more readable creature statblocks have become since the introduction of the three action system. Generally every action had to clarify what kinds of actions it took, or what the exceptions to those actions were.
it's night and day. i'll never run another 1E AP again.